Starting at the age of 8, I did work on a number of farms within walking distance of the family home.....clearing fence lines, painting barns and sheds, clearing rocks from fields, shoveling all manner of animal poop, baling hay, mucking out stalls, killing snakes...what ever the farmer was willing to pay me to do.
From 12 to 14, I worked at a small saw mill.....definitely against federal labor laws for a 12 year old to be working around HUGE saw blades that were spinning really really fast.
At the age of 16, I became a stripper. Not the kind that got paid to take their clothing off while dancing to music...but the kind that got paid to take usable parts off of cars at the scrap yard.
After graduating from high school, worked the summer as a construction worker.
Went to college for a year...and hated it.....had no idea what I wanted to do for the rest of my life....so had no idea what I should be studying.
Left college and worked at a cabinet factory for a while.
Went back to college for a year...still had no idea what I wanted to be....so just took what ever classes I had an interest in....doing this was so much more fun...and my grades showed it....Dean's List all 3 quarters with class loads of 20 plus credit hours per quarter.
Did some grill/short order cook work for a while.
Then at the age of 24, I enrolled in an adult vocational program for Administrative/Secretarial Services. Completed it with nearly perfect grades and was hired the day after graduation to work as the administrative clerk and teacher's assistant...held that job for nearly 7 years.
During this time, I was recruited to fill an executive position on the board of directors of a non-profit organization. Was elected President of the Board for 3 years and took the organization from a membership of 33 people with an annual financial standing of less than $5 thousand to having over 180 active members and an annual financial standing of over $75 thousand...all of which was used to support local causes and charities. During those 3 years, I spoke before hundreds and hundreds of people...including a number of state Governors, town mayors, state and national elected officials, high court judges....the usual muckity mucks of society.
Pulled up roots and moved away from my birth area and moved north for what I thought would be better jobs....yeah right.
Worked in a plastic plant (5 times over a 5 year period...always my Go To job between jobs....but always developed bronchitis and upper respiratory infections due to the horrid air quality in that plant).
Worked in a E-Coating plant....kind of like powder coating, but uses a wet media and electricity...and an oven the size of a nice 2 story house at 450 degrees.
Worked in a plant that manufactures exhaust parts for a number of the auto makers....ran robotic welders, hydro-form presses, off set presses, the whole nine yards.
Worked in retail....cashier, assistant manager.
Worked in fast food for a bit.
Did a short stint at a photo printing plant doing portrait retouch.
Since November 2007 until Thursday before last, I was out of the work force as my wife went through a third breast cancer scare and a brain tumor surgery.
I now work at a produce processing/packaging plant...helping to feed 2 million people a day.
For 2 to 2 and a half decades, I have done some photography work....family portraits, some weddings and family reunions, photos of people's animals. Nothing on a professional level...just side jobs to add a little money to the wallet. Have been doing portrait retouch, photo restoration using Photoshop since 1993 or 1994.
OBIO
